"We Are the World"

Ah, the eighties. A time of big hair, shoulder pads, and memorable music. “We Are the World,” the 1985 hit single sung to raise awareness about the poverty in Africa, gathered a group of the decade’s best musical acts for a set of unforgettable performances. Twenty-five years later, “We Are the World” is back again, with major changes in the styles of music and performing artists. Some fans of the original argue that “We Are the World” should have been left to the 1985 performers, or elementary school choruses.

Under the mastermind of Irish singer Bob Geldof, Band Aid began as a group to raise money and awareness for poverty stricken children in Africa. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” became known for the distinctive vocals of Bono, George Michael, and Sting. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in response to Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” the 1985 version of “We Are the World” gathered a huge list of big name stars to form the super group USA for Africa. Music icons from Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, and Billy Joel, to Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan, and Ray Charles performed solos for the hit single. After 3 Grammy Awards and a People’s Choice Award, USA for Africa raised over $63 million from the sale of their hit single with proceeds funding over 500 Africa relief projects.

Twenty-five years later, original orchestrator Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie collaborated with Wyclef Jean as executive producers for the remake. “We Are the World” made its debut during the 2010 Olympic opening ceremony.

An odd variety of over 80 artists performed for the recent version of “We Are the World,” from performance veterans Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, and Brian Wilson, to teen pop stars Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers.

While Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder sing the first words of the original hit single, Justin Bieber opens the 25th anniversary version, his Justin Bieber’s opening whines signifying that there is something a little different about this latest remake.

The overall sound of the remake is updated, with quick guitar embellishments sprinkled throughout.

To remind the audience that the remake is not just an exact rendition of the original track, the music video itself cuts between clips of the artists performing and images of the devastation in Haiti. It also gave viewers a sweet blast from the past with original footage of Michael Jackson’s 1985 performance and adds video of his sister Janet Jackson singing beside him. Wyclef Jean added off-the-wall sounding “yeahs” and echoes of “Haiti… Haiti” to close out the track.

The most remarkable contrast between the two performances is the presence of hip-hop and rap artists in the 25th anniversary remake. Akon, Lil Wayne, and T-Pain’s vocals feature Auto-tune to distort voices to achieve their signature sound. Many fans of the original track criticize the rap interlude that suddenly broke the traditional chorus.

While a few artists used the latest technology to achieve their desired vocal effect, a rousing chorus made up for the adequate performances of many B-list artists, including Toni Braxton, Bizzy Bones, and Mary Mary. The same admirable intentions seen in 1985 reappear when all 80 performers are singing together.

The recent version of “We Are the World” gathers an odd combination of artists, from the “have-beens” of decades past and a few unrecognizable members in the chorus, to the latest teen pop stars and rap artists. Today, music fans remember the voices of Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Bob Dylan in the hit 1985 single, but will the vocal talents of Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber be as memorable? Maybe not, but “We Are the World” II demonstrates a shift in popular musical interests in the past few decades.

Many current musical acts argue that a separate single should have been written and recorded for Haiti awareness and fundraising. Maybe “We Are the World” should have been left alone. But one thing remains the same: music continues to act as a common ground for different people of different cultures to come together and sing for a cause no matter how much has changed.